Danilo Gallinari

Danilo Gallinari's (knee) rehab process has gone as planned, and it looks increasingly likely that he will be able to return for training camp. He missed the entire 2013-14 season due to a torn ACL, which he eventually had surgically repaired in January of this year. Still j...

While he could return from a knee injury sometime in December, it wouldn't be wise to rely on his return before the calendar turns to 2014. The oft-injured sharpshooter played in 71 games before his ACL injury last season, but prior to that, we have to go all the way back to 2009-10 to find a season in which he played more than 60 games. However, once he's back and close to 100 percent, it will be quite the shot in the arm for the fantasy teams that own him. Last season, he averaged 16.2 points with 1.9 three-pointers in 33 minutes per game. Unfortunately, he has shot between 41 and 42 percent from the field in each of his last three seasons, so that seems to be a reasonable expectation once again. The Nuggets are not without options on the wing and at the four, so Gallinari will be fortunate to get 33 minutes per game again. Still, he's a career 84 percent free-throw shooter and averaged 5.2 boards and 0.9 steals per game last season, so he brings more to the table than just scoring and long-range shooting. He'll start the season on your bench but could become a weekly starter when he returns in a couple months.

2012-13

Last season was a bit of a disappointment for Gallinari and his fantasy owners. He seemed poised to breakout and become a legit go-to option for the Nuggets, but as has been the case throughout his career, injuries limited his production. He missed 23 games in 2011-12, after missing 16 games the previous season. Gallinari also dealt with back and shoulder injuries while playing internationally this summer. So, considering his previous issues staying on the court, expectations need to be somewhat tempered heading into the 2012-13 season. The Nuggets traded for Andre Iguodala this offseason and will be featuring Wilson Chandler more prominently as well, so Gallinari won’t be asked to do it all by himself. He’s never been as efficient of a shooter as many thought he’d be, but he has still put up between 14-to-16 points per game over the past five seasons.

2011-12

After a midseason trade to the Nuggets from the outside-shot-happy Knicks, Gallinari became one of the better players in the league at attacking the basket and getting to the charity stripe. And given Gallinari’s career free-throw percentage of 84.7 that should translate into increased fantasy value this coming season. Gallinari’s expected to hold down the team’s starting small forward slot again this year, and with J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin possibly leaving the team via free agency, there should be more minutes and shots available for him, especially with Wilson Chandler - who signed with a Chinese-league team - out of the picture for the time being. Gallinari could be one of the focal points of the team’s offense, and a breakout season could be in store.

2010-11

Although Gallinari's 15.1 points per game from last season might not cry "fantasy star in the making," there are some reasons to be optimistic about the Knick's fantasy prospects for 2010-11. For one, Gallinari proved to be more durable last year than even his most ardent supporters could've probably expected. After having considerable problems with his back during his rookie campaign – complications that forced him to miss all but 28 games – Gallinari played in 81 last season. Second, was his performance towards the end of the season. During eight April contests, Gallinari took on a much larger role, as coach Mike D'Antoni took stock of his talent entering the offseason. In that time, Gallinari averaged 22.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.8 threes per game – all considerably above his season averages. Notably, his shooting percentage changed little over this period (43.5, as compared to 42.3 for the season), suggesting both that (a) Gallinari's success wasn't a sample-size fluke and (b) he could maintain his efficiency even while handling more possessions. Finally, it's hard not to like the way Gallinari's second NBA season compares to Danny Granger's (back in 2006-07). In almost every category that matters, the two are virtually identical: points (15.1 for Gallinari, 13.9 for Granger), rebounds (4.9, 4.6), threes (2.3, 1.3), steals (0.9, 0.8), blocks (0.7, 0.7), and field goal percentage (42.3%, 45.9%). Plus, the Italian was more than two years younger while putting up his line. Of course, that doesn't mean he'll ultimately become the present day Granger, but it bodes well, nonetheless.

2009-10

Gallinari saw his rookie campaign cut very short due to a bulging disk in his back that bothered him all season and eventually led to season-ending surgery. This is a big red flag for a young international player that already faced questions about whether he’d be physically able to compete in the NBA. On the bright side, Gallinari is expected to be healthy at the start of training camp, and he is exceedingly confident, having already announced his willingness to be the new face of the Knicks. Gallinari was a star in Europe, and as a 6-9 point forward with strong ball-handling ability he may be able to operate in a Hedo Turkoglu-like mold despite lacking upper echelon athleticism. Gallinari has a good midrange jumper and excellent passing skills, but if he’s guarded by smaller wings he’ll have to knock down the consistent trey over shorter opponents or take them to the block and score over them. Gallinari also has to beat out solid frontcourt players like Wilson Chandler and David Lee for playing time, which increases the risk of relying upon him. Nevertheless he has upside, and he is going to be playing for Mike D’Antoni who has a history as a star-maker, so Gallinari should be on your radar.

2008-09

The sixth-overall selection in the 2008 Draft, Gallinari showed a glimpse of his potential in the Vegas Summer League - the ability to run the floor, a very smooth outside shot, and the strength to finish in traffic. Unfortunately, it was a very brief glimpse - back problems ended his summer before the buzzer sounded in the Knicks' first game. Long-term, Gallinari could emerge as a really interesting combo forward and complement to Wilson Chandler. But considering his age (20), inexperience and the Knicks' glut of forwards, it's hard to imagine he'll contribute much as a rookie.

2007-08

The sixth-overall selection in the 2008 Draft, Gallinari showed a glimpse of his potential in the Vegas Summer League - the ability to run the floor, a very smooth outside shot, and the strength to finish in traffic. Unfortunately, it was a very brief glimpse - back problems ended his summer before the buzzer sounded in the Knicks' first game. Long-term, Gallinari could emerge as a really interesting combo forward and complement to Wilson Chandler. But considering his age (20), inexperience and the Knicks' glut of forwards, it's hard to imagine he'll contribute much as a rookie.